Letter from the founder

Dear reader, thank you for visiting this page. My name is Elizabeth Njeri Kamau. I am a 33 year old Kenyan teacher. For five years of my life, I lived in a Nairobi’s slums in a violent relationship.

I have two children with my ex-husband. Unfortunately, he began to drink, and our relationship came to be marked by violence, humiliation and oppression. I was lucky to escape my first marriage.

I gained my independence and freedom because of my education and ability to sustain myself and my children financially.

In addition, I was fortunate that I also had a strong and supportive family and community. They helped secure me and my children from the fear of physical and mental puruance from my ex-husband during and after the divorce.

Today I have moved back to my parents’ farm where my Danish friend, Olav, me and my family have started a project for battered women. We want to help other women and children out of conditions where they experience abuse and domestic violence with protection, but also with education and assistance to financial independence.

We knew in advance a woman who has long wanted help. She has two young children, and both she and the children experience violence from an alcoholic husband, so we hope we can help her as soon as possible.

My family has provided assistance by offering us to build 12 resident homes on the farm’s 5 acres land, and they are also temporarily putting a traditional “mud-walled house with tin roof” available for a resident’s house. My family has also served as volunteers since we started the project approx. 6 weeks ago.

Since then, thanks to financial assistance from Danish sponsors and from Olav personally, have we been able to build a natural stone house. Although the money has only been able to reach one room with a roof, it already functions as an office and accommodation for volunteers. The “classroom” has also been in use, although it is still a room without roof and other equipment and furniture than a PC and Android mobile phone lent by Olav, as well as chairs and a tables lent by my parents.

We have not reached the goal, but I am very incredibly happy and optimistic. We started with very little money and had much doubt. However, thanks to the backing, support and hard work from a lot of people, we have come a long way. But we still have a long way to go, and I would, of course, be incredibly grateful if you chose to support us.